The Economy: The economic numbers have been dwarfed by bungee jumping global stock markets. However, economic numbers do not support all the gloom and doom talk generated by the wild ride in stocks. Global and U.S expansion remains steady. Global and U.S. monetary policies remain very accommodative. In spite of 5 interest rate hikes in the U.S., inflation adjusted interest rates remain at historic lows. Tax cuts, stimulative deregulation and a Federal Reserve committed to supporting the stock market should continue to juice U.S. economic expansion.

Food for Thought: The Bungee Jumping stock markets have been dominated by money managers, pension funds, hedgies and other professionals. Individual investors have remained firm in their belief that markets will rebound and continue to move higher. The brief 2-day, 10% drop is already forgotten. That 10% drop is seen as nothing more than as having eliminated the “no 5% pullback in 400+ days” boogeyman. The assumption, based on a decade of monetary policy stimulus, is that the way is now clear for the next leg up in stocks. However, as I pointed out yesterday in my special report, investors approaching retirement should be increasingly cautious. The market volatility of the past few days are rumblings that shouldn’t be ignored by those who no longer have decades to recoup losses. The zeitgeist is that stocks will go up forever … so you have to stay on the dance floor. We simply recommend that you dance closer to the exit door.